CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

EARTH PRESSURE AND HYDRAULIC PRESSURE

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EARTH PRESSURE AND HYDRAULIC PRESSURE

9.1 Overview
(1) Earth pressure and hydraulic pressure acting against structures such as exterior basement walls and
retaining walls, which touch the soil directly, shall be considered. The buoyancy shall also be
considered for the structures below groundwater level.
(2) The earth pressure that permanently acts on exterior basement walls, etc. shall be assumed to be
the earth pressure at rest in general, and the influence the surcharge on the ground surface shall be
appropriately considered when it exists.
(3) The earth pressure that permanently acts on retaining walls shall be assumed to be the active earth
pressure in general, and its influence shall be appropriately considered when there is surcharge on
the ground surface.
(4) When the earth pressure and hydraulic pressure increase remarkably due to an earthquake, such an
increase shall be taken into account appropriately.
(5) When calculating the earth pressure that acts permanently, the value of 99% non-exceedance
probability considering the accuracy of the calculation method and the variation of geotechnical
parameters shall be assumed to be the characteristic value of the load. The characteristic value of
hydraulic pressure shall be assumed to be the highest free water level with the 100-year return
period, and the influence of time variance shall also be considered.
9.2 Earth Pressure and Hydraulic Pressure that Act on Exterior Basement Walls
The earth pressure and hydraulic pressure that permanently act on exterior basement walls shall be
calculated according to Eq. (9.1) for above groundwater level, and shall be calculated according to Eq.
(9.2) for below groundwater level:

where

p = K 0" t z + !p0

(9.1)

p = K 0$ t h + K 0$ #(z " h )+ $ w (z " h )+ !p0

2
p : earth pressure and hydraulic pressure for each unit area in depth z (kN/m ),

(9.2)

! t : total unit weight of soil (kN/m3)

! " : submerged unit weight of soil (kN/m3)

! w : unit weight of water (= 9.8 kN/m3)

K0 : earth pressure coefficient at rest
h : groundwater depth (m)
2
!p0 : earth pressure increment for surcharge on the ground surface (kN/m )

9.3 Soil Pressure that Permanently Acts on Retaining Walls

The earth pressure that acts on retaining walls shall be generally assumed to be an active earth
pressure. When there is no surcharge on the ground surface, the active earth pressure is calculated as
follows:
p A = K A" t z ! 2c K A

(9.3)

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where

Recommendations for Loads on Buildings

PA : active earth pressure for each unit area in depth z (kN/m2)

K A : active earth pressure coefficient

! t : total unit weight of soil (kN/m3) (submerged unit weight of soil below the water table)
c : cohesion of soil (kN/m2)
However, when PA becomes negative, it is assumed to be zero. The active earth pressure coefficient,

K A , can be calculated by the following equation:

cos 2 (, ( * )

KA =

'!
sin(, + + ) sin(, ( ) ) $!
cos 2 * cos(* + + )&1 +
#
cos(, + + ) cos(* ( ) ) !"
!%

where

(9.4)

! : angle of internal friction of backfill soil (deg)

! : angle between backfill soil and the vertical plane
! : angle of wall friction

! : angle between ground surface and horizontal plane

Here, it is assumed that sin(# ! " ) = 0 at $ " # ! 0 . When it is necessary to consider hydraulic
pressure, the influence should be taken into account. The influence the surcharge on the ground
surface shall be appropriately considered when it exists.
9.4 Earth Pressure During Earthquakes that Acts on Retaining Walls
The active earth pressure acting on retaining walls shall be calculated on the basis of reliable ground
investigations and proper analyses, or using either of the following methods.
(1) Active earth pressure at earthquake proposed by Monobe and Okabe

p EA = K EA! t z
where

(9.5)

PEA : active earth pressure at the earthquake for each unit area in depth z (kN/m2),
K EA : earth pressure coefficient at the earthquake of Monobe and Okabe

! t : total unit weight of soil (kN/m3) (submerged unit weight of soil below the water table)
z : depth (m) where active earth pressure PEA acts on the wall
cos 2 (, ( * ( * k )

K EA =

'!
sin(, + + ) sin(, ( ) ( * k ) $!
cos * k cos 2 * cos(* k + * + + )&1 +
#
cos(, + + + * k ) cos(* ( ) ) !"
!%

where

(9.6)

! : angle of internal friction of backfill soil (deg)

! : angle between backfill soil and the vertical plane
! : angle of wall friction

! : angle between ground surface and horizontal plane

! k : earthquake synthesis angle k = tan-1 kh (deg)

k h : design horizontal seismic intensity
Here, it is assumed that sin($ ! # ! " k ) = 0 at % " $ " # k ! 0 . When it is necessary to consider
hydraulic pressure, the influence should be taken into account. The influence the surcharge on the
ground surface shall be appropriately considered when it exists

CHAPTER 9

EARTH PRESSURE AND HYDRAULIC PRESSURE

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(2) Trial wedge method

a) When the cohesion in the Monobe and the Okabe expression is not considered
PEA =

cos 2 ($ & # + ! k ) % W
cos($ & # & " & ! ) % cos ! k

(9.8)

b) When the cohesion in the Monobe and the Okabe expression is considered
PEA =

where

W & sec ! k sin($ % # + ! k ) % c & l cos #

cos($ % # % " % ! )

(9.8)

PEA : resultant force of active earth pressure at the earthquake (kN/m)

W : weight of the soil wedge (kN/m)

! : active slip angle at the earthquake (deg)

! : angle of wall friction

c : cohesion in the Monobe and the Okabe expression (kN/m2)
l : length of active slip surface (m)
9.5 Groundwater Level for Design
(1) The groundwater level for the design shall be determined as the highest water level with the
100-year return period considering the free water level based on continuity of soil strata, etc.
(2) Buoyancy

v Pw

that acts on the bottom of foundation shall be calculated by the following

equation:
v Pw

where

= " w ( z ! h)

(9.9)
3

! w : unit weight of water (kN/m )

z : depth (m) to the position at which buoyancy is required from the ground surface level
h : depth (m) from the ground surface level to the water table

9.6 Uncertainties of Earth Pressure and the Geotechnical Parameters for Design
(1) The earth pressure (active earth pressure, earth pressure at rest, and earth pressure during
earthquakes, etc.) that acts on exterior basement walls and retaining walls shall be determined taking
into consideration the influence of the uncertainties of the parameters used in the calculations.
(2) The value of 99% non-exceedance probability shall be adopted for the characteristic value of the
geotechnical parameter used for the earth pressure calculation.